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Thank you for your steady voice in these times of trouble.

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Thank you for your report on diplomacy. That is so important and too often downplayed in the press. Same for infrastructure programs.

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For the first time in a while there seems to be some pretty comprehensive thinking going on on the Federal level. That seems far more significant and "newsworthy" than most of the nonsense I see in "the news".

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When I am out and about and engaged with people in my surroundings it feels like no one reads anything of any consequence anymore. Hard to find anyone informed about the current crisis in the House Speakership. Strongly pro reproductive choice friends who canтАЩt get past the stinking thinking of тАЬBidenтАЩs too oldтАЭ! They will not spend the time to read this and understand the consequences for our worldтАЩs future. Folks have become so accustomed to being fed constant nonsense тАЬbitesтАЭ, the neural pathways in their brains no longer process nuance and thought. ЁЯШв. The human mind is such an undeveloped resource for good.

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Truly my greatest and daily anguish.

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Mine, too. Take heart, Christy.

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I believe the Biden cognitive click bites have died down a bit, due to, I think, the number of really serious verbal gaffs of Trump. You have to admit, he is starting to sound like a cranky ol' Grandpa mumbling and crabbing away at the dinner table.

I suggest forwarding some of the YouTube clips from Brian Tyler Cohen. He makes a good point when he's said that when people question whether Joe can do the job, the proof is that he is doing it NOW.

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The DeSantis campaign video ties it all together very nicely. Now if only people will pay attention. (Not that I support the Florida "cowboy."

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You have every reason to bemoan people's lack of critical thinking. Look no further than that criminal behemoth throwing a tantrum in the courtroom as if a toddler in romper room is the Republican front runner. My mind cannot digest....

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They think they want a strongman. He is, among other things, a real wuss. Judge Engoron is so mean! Letitia James is so Black! ItтАЩs EricтАЩs fault! Some strongman.

( I loved it when the Judge, in the first trial, said in TrumpтАЩs world тАЬSquare Footage is Subjective.тАЭ)

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Say it again for those in the back: "The human mind is such an undeveloped resource for good." ЁЯШЮ

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Representative democracy cannot really operate without a well-enough informed electorate. Maintaining competent and reasonably unbiased sources of trustworthy and actionable information is a super-challenge, but the "magic of the marketplace" alone won't solve it for us. We need to be thinking hard about improving the quality of societal discussion and discouraging patent lies and liars, if only with social disapproval. As is essential to any delivery of "liberty and justice for ALL) (emphasis mine) we need to be as hard on liars in our own ranks as on opponents.

Biden seems to me like the most forward-thinking president we have had in decades. So far he is proving up to the challenge. I worry about his health at his age, as I worry about my own, but so far so good. I have lost friends younger than I to unexpected illness, and do believe there need to be thoroughly though out contingency plans if Biden becomes disabled. Biden has done some things that I am troubled by, but I also see a comprehensive departure, at least a reasonable launch of one, away from that plutocratic momentum of "Chicago School" "Reaganomics". I also would (should I live so long) welcome a much younger president were the right person to appear.

Yeah, the "soundbite" mentally reminds me of rationale for Orwell's "Newspeak". It seems that the thinkers, grass roots and otherwise, exhibited and exhibit a capacity for "long chain" thinking, and thinking in 3D (or after Einstein, 4D). I am grateful for my own education and I married a (professional life) life-long school teacher of excellent reputation and skills, yet my personal opinion is that overall, we don't stretch the thinking skills of children (and adults) nearly enough, preferring to emphasize "quiz show" like recall.

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Yes, all very true. IтАЩm sure Kamala would be a good prez but I think the fact that sheтАЩs a women may play against her considering how many misogynistic people we have, including women. Hopefully not the majority. IтАЩm afraid someone may suggest that speaker Johnson run for prez if for some reason Trump doesnтАЩt. That would be a complete horror show. But if we believe in cycles that The Fourth Turning Or that Ray Dalio speaks of we are still in for a rough ride.

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And as always, there is no end to seeing the orange melon popping up - all the news bits manage to get HIS 15 minutes in (which is 15 more than I want) Yet cut off AG James at the end of his "testimony"!

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Send all these articles anyway. You never know, perhaps a seed will be planted:

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Absolutely! And giving Democracy Awakening as gifts! Plus just the value of just bringing the risk of losing our democracy into as many conversations as possible canтАЩt be overstated

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AND, I no longer count on The NY Times or the WaPo for information Re: Palestine. I read Heather and learn from youtube and Al Jazeera , which is pretty depressing.

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Sadly, all too true. I have many friends who have just quit reading the news because it is full of far too many lies and early conclusions. I am disgusted with the whole "Biden is too old" story line. Trump is around 3 years younger and in HORRIBLE physical shape in comparison. I wish the big news reporters would stop with the completely untrustworthy polls until next summer.

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Oh yes. So true. American are oblivious. I think our collective character no matter how oblivious ultimately carried the day in our past history. I fear it will be our undoing now.

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Todays focus is Ohio and Virginia whether the trends continue, Dems winning! ЁЯЩМЁЯСНЁЯдЮ

The underlying currents -to turn nations towards the carpetbaggers, autocratic regimes associated with control, corruption and circus communes. Window treatments if you donтАЩt cooperate.

Progress is about hearing different approaches, new ideas , willing countries buy on ...instead of the old goat head bumping dam mentality. Will тАЬshoring up тАЬ the areas/putting heads together on the whys behind their populationтАЩs displacement work?

Togetherness..?

While back at the circus -who still wants to defund, cry fouls, inflate their worth/competency-NO whispers of what to do ,to fix , except burn it all down and side with the long time troublemakers..noting ...the areas of most chaos is where you find them ..those troublemakers ..stirring up the poisonous crew- loyal losers continuing тАШlink the liarsтАЩ club!

ItтАЩs gotten so oldЁЯджтАНтЩАя╕П

ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩVOTE ALL THE COMPLICIT OUTЁЯТЩЁЯТЩ

ЁЯЧгя╕ПCOME ON Dems...!

OHIO/VIRGINIA ЁЯЩМ

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Patricia, you posted the news of the year, actually, for me. THIS election day.

Equally as important as OH and VA are the governors races in KY and MS - yes, even Mississippi has a decent chance to elect a DEMOCRAT as governor!

If we win, these results can be THE antidote to the depressing Republican agenda - and forebode victory in 2024

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Yes!!ЁЯЩМ Hear Hear Voters ЁЯТЩLet it be BLUE

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Yes, Frederick. My biggest trigger issue since I was a teenager was women's rights, and abortion and reproductive rights are a huge part of it. I have been pleasantly surprised and buoyed to find it is also a huge trigger for the vast majority of the voting population. So, here we go! It has been the best "get out the vote" method anyone could have thought of! I cringe when I think of the women in states that already simply don't have that right and will continue to see other rights disappear, too. I wish I could help more!

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Honestly, it should be everyone's trigger - it IS the initial push to remove rights - not only from women but other(!) minorities.

Reading Popular Information this am about the Cop City mess just really ticks me off. We do not require our police depts. to be more "military" - we need community engagement! The whole "defund" the police was a bad description of the intention & allowed the naysayers to use that description. Too often that is the end result for Democrats - somehow doesnt affect the Repubs - they just keep on shouting & lying - to seemingly, no downside.

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Deborah, one of my husband's Native American relatives was confronted in South Dakota about abortion this week. There is some kind of petition going. He got told that not only had she signed it, but she had helped gather signatures. She was a R, now a feisty D as she has watched what the Rs become the party of death and of course, there is also the Gnome in South Dakota.

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Oh Deborah, you spoke to the тЭдя╕П of the matter ->

women's rights and reproductive freedom! End there, full stop.

Need we mention the operation which no one chooses, but can be a necessity bore out of women's rights and reproductive freedom!

(imho)

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WIN it IS!

OHIO

VIRGINIA

KENTUCKY

WOHOO SUPER JOB YтАЩAll ЁЯСП

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It's the season to put away childish things, some of them for substantial sentences. Meanwhile, always follow the money. Who gets the booty and who gets the shaft.

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Agreed but Foreign Affairs are not тАЬsexyтАЭ enough to distract from the circus ЁЯОк we seem to be living in.

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Thank you HCR for highlighting BidenтАЩs successes, which are manifold. How to get MSM to do this as well is the problem of the day. Hoping to see more blue today.

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JL,

I couldn't agree more. I watched a little CNN yesterday, and they seemed a little preoccupied with how frustrated Judge Engoron was. Regardless of his ability to deal directly face to face with that pathological liar, I don't think the testimony showcase will have much of an effect on the judgement.

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Other than to underline again and again that, at long last, Trump is thoroughly unrepentant, with absolutely no sense of decency. Were I a judge, that would matter.

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Well I think you're right considering the fact that ЁЯдеis unrepentant. I think the judge might be able to consider that. But I think he needs to show that his decision is not personal or political. Don't get me wrong. I know that we're talking about a monster that is somehow able to appear to be a martyr to his base.

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It has come to my attention that perjury can result in civil charges being pressed against the perjurer. I don't know how likely that would be. He certainly did contradict himself while being questioned yesterday. I'm looking forward to the decision.

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When I read this today, I thought "Gee, this sounds really important and complicated, and I don't know very much about this." That made me think that maybe one of the reasons President Biden's numbers aren't any higher is that he's been a grown-up in the room about foreign affairs, but it doesn't make the news, so ordinary folks trying to live their lives have no idea why this matters so much. Dem's have to get better at presenting the "what's in it for me" aspect of these larger, more complex issues.

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It appears to me itтАЩs тАШwhatтАЩs in it for usтАЩ , the general consensus based on fact is we make major advances for WE THE PEOPLE , them getting bennies too, while they pass tax breaks, the interstate WAS wonderful have to give Ike credit , but few other accolades .

Too few ( I agree ) hear, know, or research the good news . This business of paying attention is not a common thread. Maybe because we trusted more? The attention spans are so much shorter? I give up! .....JK

Voting ЁЯТЩ , long runs seem the better game/gain.

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The US "mainstream media" is no friend of this country. I find myself going to

Deutsche Welle (DW), BBC, Al Jezeera, and the Guardian. Remember when the TV camera focused on an empty stage waiting for Trump to show up and speak. How many times a day do the networks use the word "Trump." No wonder he leads in the polls. I had not heard of one of the groups of nations until HCR today.

GOP="Greater Overall Poverty."

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Please take a look at тАЬBlinkenтАЩs HumiliationтАЭ by Joe Lauria in Consortiumnews.com for another dimension of the quality of our diplomatic efforts.

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Do you trust тАЬConsortium NewsтАЭ as a mainstream media outlet of facts?

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well, now I'm paying for that news source also....Facts: Yes, But, mainstream media? why?

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Downplayed? It's not covered at all in most media. Instead, we have continued focus on "polls."

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It's as if the media has the entire country poll dancing.

On the other hand, the Biden Administration makes me proud to be an American. I haven't felt that way in years.

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1) Terrific pun! Thank you!

2) Agree about the Biden Administration.

3) Was there pushback to TrumpтАЩs claim inflation was eating the country alive? Americans just spent $12 billion dollars on Halloween, up from $10 billion last year. (Oh, wait. The price of Halloween merchandise is up, too.)

But maybe inflation is not eating the country alive after all? We just expect prices to return to what they used to be.

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ItтАЩs all a shell game...weтАЩre smarter than that. Vote Blue, go Joe!

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Train news at last! How many Americans in the Midwest know that its smalll towns were once linked by rails and that Amtrak runs on some of them between Charlottesville,VA, and Chicago?

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I remember when the village I grew up in had rail service - remember riding to Oneonta with my aunt when I was small - obviously a LOOONG time ago. It was really fun. Glad someone is doing some thing somewhere.

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Just as I remember тАЬriding the railsтАЭ in electric street cars in Richmond, Virginia.

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Yes - isnt "progress" wonderful?

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WeтАЩre still learning. Planes get us there faster, but they pollute and trains can run on recycled steam or be electrified. Dreaming of return of ocean liners, slower, but more interesting. (Aha! As I wrote that realized that perhaps a berth on a cargo vessel might get me back across the Atlantic!)

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I remember the passenger trains in the Midwest.

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Thank you for responding. My husbandтАЩs grandfather was a PRR (тАЬRailroad to the WorldтАЭ) engineer, resulting in his being a lifelong rail fan and builder of HO scale railroads. He had maps of the Midwest lines which we followed on a 1990 trip from Richmond to Chicago. His enthusiasm for the French TGV (тАЬTrain Grande Vitesse) and his hope to see similar safe high speed rail in America led him to communicate with Amtrak to upgrade their east coast service, especially while the old PRR catenaries were still standing. His expertise was put to use by the PRRT&HS as a writer for the organizationтАЩs quarterly.

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My dad was a railway mail carrier, sorting mail between St. Paul and Des Moines (I think). Later, after we moved to California, my sister and I rode that same route to visit our older sister. I love train travel! So glad for the improvements that will provide that experience for many others.

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My husband remembers when he could catch a train as a kid to go see his grandparents off in a different area of Michigan, and when the fathers of his schoolmates would commute to factories in a different direction. Riding trains in Europe is a delight. Too bad so much money is spent making it hard to do here.

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If you get to Poland, be sure to ride the EU paid-for train that is basically TGV. I rode it Bialystok-Warsaw. Maybe Tusk will get a similar train Warsaw-Berlin. That would cut hours off Paris-Warsaw and get Poland more of the western tourism it so richly deserves.

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Yes, and all the news had on yesterday were polling numbers. We were so irritated, we turned it off. But good news does not get clicks, so let's focus on death star instead. His tirade in the courtroom also got plenty of news as well. They should be focusing on the good things the Biden administration is doing as well as signs of death star's senile and toddler outbursts.

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I so agree with you. I've been asking for quite some time why we don't hear about bringing manufacturing to those countries where people are fleeing to bolster their economies. I had no idea that the administration has been quietly working on this concept! And that's the problem--QUIETLY. The Biden administration needs to get in gear and vociferously blast their accomplishments from the rooftops....

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I didn't realize how much was going on since the news is a bout trump. What did someone say? He sucks the oxygen out of the room. Lets cut rail safety. Of course it would be in blue states. Republicans discriminated against blue states during the pandemic. I'm surprised republicans screamed how there was a derailment ( they had 3 of their own). Wouldn't this help them? Wait, as I said before, this is a lot about blue states.

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